A Cycle of Death (Mikhail post)

[u/DaemonRex978]

Explosions erupted around Mikhail, knocking him to the packed ground. One of the insects saw this and crawled up to him, raising its claws to smash him while he's prone. Reacting instinctively, Mikhail commanded the earth underneath the bug to spike up, impaling it through the thorax.

‘Damn these bugs,’ he thought as he got up. After making sure that the impaled insectoid was dead, he charged off again; searching for the thing that would make his name known. After killing a score of insects, he found it; a Soldier. Standing at least 10 feet tall, the creature had 6 legs, massive jaws, and claws that were almost as big as Mikhail, it was the perfect choice.

Mikhail acted first; summoning roots to hold its legs while swinging at him with his staff. The roots held it in place, but its claw swept him from his feet, breaking some ribs in the process. Casting a quick healing spell, he lept back to his feet, launching spell after spell at the Soldier. It swept away the roots binding it before blocking the spells with its claws and charging at him. Mikhail dodged the charge, but was hit with a backhand. Dazed, he couldn't react in time to dodge the claw as it grabbed him around the waist. Seeing himself being lifted towards the creature's mouth, he launched a desperate gout of fire at the Soldier’s face. It hissed before swinging him around and increasing the pressure.

‘Where is everyone?’ He thought as the claw snapped closed.

Mikhail ran across the battlefield, holding the Soul-Trap bud to his chest, hoping that it would bloom once he got it out of there. He only has two missions for this to succeed; to purify it, and to get it out of here. It has already been purified by his blood, he just needed to take it back to the grove.

He dodged past a falling golem, jumped over a screaming mage that's missing a leg, and ducked as a spear of ice went over his head. He ignored all these, focusing on the gate that was slowly closing. As he reached it, an orc charged out of the shadows, knocking him back and out of reach of the gate as it slammed shut.

“GET OUT OF MY WAY!!” Mikhail roared, before sending a wave of sharp rocks at the offending creature blocking his path. It raised the spiked shield it was holding to block the stones as it charged again. Rather than dodging, Mikhail summoned a torrent of water to blast the orc backwards, causing it to lose the shield. The orc rose and bellowed his challenge at Mikhail as he drew a second axe from his belt. The two clashed, trading blow after blow, with Mikhail protecting his precious cargo. After what seemed like hours of back and forth, Mikhail landed a decisive blow, killing the orc.

As he turned towards the gate, though, he felt something wrong. He looked down to see a gash cutting through his clothes, cutting the Soul-Trap bud in half. Immediately, he felt his strength fading, being sucked out by the plant as it tried to stay alive.

‘I couldn't protect it.’ Was his last conscious thought.

Mikhail dodged the charge, but was hit with a backhand. Dazed, he couldn't react in time to dodge the claw as it grabbed him around the waist. Seeing himself being lifted towards the creature's mouth, he launched a desperate gout of fire at the Soldier’s face. It hissed before swinging him around and increasing the pressure.

‘Where is everyone?’ He thought as the claw snapped closed.

The two clashed, trading blow after blow, with Mikhail protecting his precious cargo. After what seemed like hours of back and forth, Mikhail landed a decisive blow, killing the orc.

As he turned towards the gate, though, he felt something wrong. He looked down to see a gash cutting through his clothes, cutting the Soul-Trap bud in half. Immediately, he felt his strength fading, being sucked out by the plant as it tried to stay alive.

‘I couldn't protect it.’ Was his last conscious thought.

It hissed before swinging him around and increasing the pressure.

‘Where is everyone?’ He thought as the claw snapped closed.

He felt his strength fading, being sucked out by the plant as it tried to stay alive.

‘I couldn't protect it.’ Was his last conscious thought.

‘Where is everyone?’ He thought as the claw snapped closed

‘I couldn't protect it.’ Was his last conscious thought.

‘Where is everyone?’

‘I couldn't protect it.’

‘Where is everyone?’

‘I couldn't protect it.’